Photo By William Costello | U.S. Army Human Resources Command chief of staff, Jim Bradford conducted a...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT KNOX, Ky. – For the first time in its history, U.S. Army Human Resources Command has a Department of the Army civilian serving in one of the top three critical leadership positions within the headquarters’ command group. The change took effect Jan. 1, 2026, when Jim Bradford, the former deputy garrison commander, assumed new duties as the HRC chief of staff.
Bradford’s unique opportunity resulted from the intersection of the Army’s Transformation initiative, HRC’s innovative approach to internal restructuring and what he describes as fortunate timing.
“Gen. Rampy took advantage of opportunities within the Army transformation effort to see where she could transition from a military leader to a civilian leader. It was one part of HRC’s organizational restructuring and redesign that started under General Drew,” Bradford said, referring to Maj. Gen. Hope C. Rampy and Maj. Gen. Thomas Drew, HRC’s current and previous commanding generals.
Though HRC is manned mostly by Department of the Army Civilians, the leadership has remained all military, changing out every couple of years. Having a senior civilian as the Chief of Staff offers continuity for the command and provides other aspiring civilian leaders to see someone like them at the top of the organization.
“During our reorganization we intentionally took a GS-15 position and re-classified it to fit the role of a Chief of Staff. The wait to get a qualified person in place was worth the extra work and I am excited to have Mr. Bradford on board and set the command up for continued success in the future,” said Rampy. “His installation, program management, and resourcing experience will only improve our current processes and ensure we are aligned with Army senior leader initiatives and priorities.”
Bradford credits the Department of the Army Voluntary Reassignment Program (DAVRAP) for how he was able to take on his new responsibilities at HRC. Nearing the end of his tour as a deputy garrison commander, he was contractually obligated to move to a new assignment, potentially requiring a permanent change of station. DAVRAP helps the Army retain employees with institutional knowledge, skills and experience, while reducing hiring time by connecting Army civilians with hiring managers.
“Opening up this position to a civilian gave me an opportunity to apply for something here, which created an opportunity to move commands, move to a completely different mission set, but allowed, from a family perspective, to keep a foundation in the local community,” he said.
Although establishing the civilian chief of staff role is a milestone, Bradford envisions other traditional military positions that could eventually transition to civilian roles for the sake of operational continuity. He suggested creating such continuity within the command regarding those who manage personnel policy decisions along with those empowered to make financial and resource management decisions would be positive for the command’s future.
His colleagues tend to agree.
“A civilian Chief of Staff adds a level of continuity that has been missing for a long time and will pay dividends for years to come. MG Rampy’s vision has come into fruition at an accelerated pace through her selection of Mr. Bradford. Mr. Bradford is exactly the right leader at the right time for HRC,” said Adam McKinney, HRC deputy chief of staff for personnel and logistics.
The transition from Installation Management Command (IMCOM) to HRC has been easier because, as Bradford puts it, some aspects of the garrison mission sets are downstream from HRC programs.
“When HRC decides to move a Soldier, the garrison’s military personnel division processes the orders. While HRC manages the Army’s Transition Assistance Program for separating Soldiers, garrison transition assistance centers execute that mission. The same parallels are true with schooling and continuing education programs, as well as some voting and postal operations,” he explained.
Bradford, a 29-year Army veteran and native of Lynchburg, Tenn., sees his role as helping the commanding general, the command sergeant major and leaders throughout the organization manage people, resources and mission requirements by applying the experience with programs and portfolios he gained from his time on the installation staff.
“The Army got two things right: our noncommissioned officer corps and our civilian professionals. Our civilian workforce is the steadfast continuity and institutional brain trust that makes this Army better every day, mentoring, guiding, and anchoring our active-duty force through every leadership transition. Mr. Bradford exemplifies this and will take HRC to the next level,” said Col. Christopher Roberts, HRC deputy chief of staff for operations.
Reflecting on his initial 90 days as chief of staff, Bradford said he has been impressed how HRC staff tackles challenges.
“Every organization will face challenges. My observation here is that we have processes. We've got creative and innovative people, and we have the drive to get it done. We're not afraid to speak about what our challenges are and how we can do better at meeting them head-on,” he said.
Bradford believes the mix of military and civilian personnel at HRC have more in common than many realize. HRC, like many Army organizations, employs a lot of veterans.
“Whether wearing business attire or a uniform, everyone wants to be led. They want opportunities. They want to be given guidance and resources and then given the freedom to execute and be successful,” he shared.
He looks forward to the change of pace his new duties bring while still hopeful the relationships he built and cultivated on the Fort Knox garrison staff will still afford him the ability to participate in community events.
| Date Taken: | 04.10.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2026 13:58 |
| Story ID: | 562450 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Hometown: | LYNCHBURG, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, HRC continues transformation efforts; installs first-ever Army Civilian into leadership position, by William Costello, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
